Binghamton Senators weekly

LAST WEEK: The Senators (9-19-1-2, 21 pts.) were 0-2 last week, including a 6-5 loss to nemesis Rochester on Saturday night.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 22nd @ PHILADELPHIA (2-4 L):

The first two periods were dominated by goaltending and defense, as JEFF GLASS stopped 27 shots and Scott Munroe had 15 saves through the first two periods. Forty-five minutes into the contest RYAN VESCE gave the Senators a 1-0 with his seventh marker of the season. Just fourteen seconds later Mark Cullen responded for the Phantoms, as the center buried an even-strength marker to tie the game a 1 apiece. Left winger BRIAN MALONEY found the back of the net at the 8:20 mark to once again give the Senators a one-goal advantage. Defenseman ANDY HEDLUND added his second assist of the night. Defenseman Nolan Baumgartner buried a one-timer past GLASS to knot the game at 2 all. Center Pete Zingoni, who collected a natural hat trick on Saturday, Nov. 11 against the Senators, buried the game-winner at 12:46 of the final period. Philadelphia added a late empty-netter to finish off the scoring. GLASS finished the game with 36 saves.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23rd vs. ROCHESTER (5-6 L):

The Senators kicked off the scoring as BRIAN MALONEY buried his second goal in as many nights. MALONEY took the feed from SERGE PAYER against the left boards, and snapped a wrist shot past Adam Dennis to give the Senators a 1-0 advantage. Binghamton took advantage of their first power play of the night, as JOSH HENNESSY used a backhand pass to TOMAS MALEC. MALEC smashed a one-timer from just inside the blue line past Dennis to stretch the lead to 2-0. Rochester responded with two markers to close out the first period. Left winger David Booth had a straight on rush towards JEFF GLASS, as he faked right then dipped left scooping it past the 21-year-old netminder. Drew Larman followed that up with a short-handed marker at 15:49 to tie the game at 2 apiece. Larman stole the puck from a Binghamton defender and had a breakaway, as the center went to the backhand to score the unassisted tally. The Senators struck back to start the second stanza, as winger CORY PECKER netted his sixth marker of the season to once again give the Sens' a one-goal lead. After a GRANT POTULNY goal, the Amerks reeled off four unanswered power-play markers. Two of those markers came off the stick of defenseman Andrej Sekera, including the game-winner. SERGE PAYER added a late tally for the Senators to make it a 6-5 final, as the Senators have dropped five straight to the Amerks. Sekera had three points (2+1=3) on the night, taking home first star honors.

THIS WEEK: The Senators play four games in six days, including a New Years Eve match-up with the Toronto Marlies. The Senators welcome the Syracuse Crunch to the Arena tonight at 7:05 p.m., then hit the road to play fellow New Yorkers Rochester and Albany on Friday and Saturday night. Binghamton will close out 2006 against the Marlies at the Arena with a special 5:05 start time.

SCOUTING REPORT

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 26th vs. SYRACUSE (7:05):

The Senators hold a 2-1 advantage in the season series with the Crunch. In their last game, the Sens' outshot the Crunch 44-18, while four of the Senators offensive leaders collected markers in the Senators 4-2 on Dec. 1 at the Arena. RYAN VESCE started the scoring for the Senators, as the Cornell graduate added a power-play marker at 11:36 of the first period. CHARLIE COOK fed VESCE from behind the net, and VESCE tapped it past Ty Conklin. With Syracuse on the power play in the final minute of the opening stanza, SERGE PAYER dished to a wide open GRANT POTULNY who smashed a one-timer past Conklin to give the Senators a 2-0 advantage. The short-hander was the first of the season for POTULNY. Both teams had a man in the penalty box late in the third, as JOSH HENNESSY gathered a rebound and scooped it in the corner of the net. HENNESSY'S ninth tally of the season stretched the Senators lead to 3-1. DANNY BOIS closed the door on the Crunch. BRIAN MALONEY fed BOIS from behind the cage, as BOIS snapped a wrist shot past Conklin to ice the game and give Binghamton their third win in the last four games. Geoff Platt continues to lead the Crunch with 14 goals, eight of them coming on the power play. Platt is second on the team with 22 points (14+8=22). Joe Motzko leads the team in points (26) and assists (18).

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 29th @ ROCHESTER (7:35):

Close but no cigar seems to be appropriate when looking at the Senators games against the Amerks this season. Binghamton is still searching for its first win against the Amerks, as they have lost three separate games by one goal to Rochester. The latest of those heartbreakers was this past Saturday night.. Also, on Saturday, Oct. 14 at the Arena, rookie goalie Adam Dennis had 40 saves to lead the Amerks over the Senators 3-2. ANDREW EBBETT collected two points (1+1=2) on the night. Leading scorer JEFF HEEREMA added the second marker. The game-winner came at 8:52 of the last period, as Rochester held a 2-1 lead when right wing Drew Stafford scored his third marker of the season off a two-on-one breakaway. KELLY GUARD had 21 saves in the losing effort.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 30th @ ALBANY (5:00):

The Senators dominated the River Rats on Wednesday, Nov. 15 at the Arena. Goaltender KELLY GUARD turned in a masterful performance, as he collected a season-high 42 saves, while JEFF HEEREMA, JOSH HENNESSY and TOMAS MALEC added two points each to lead the Binghamton Senators to a 4-0 shutout victory. HEEREMA put Binghamton on the board at 6:40 of the first period with a short-handed goal, his eighth of the season. The Thunder Bay native blasted a slap shot into the chest of goalie Justin Peters, which bounced straight back into his possession. The 26-year-old gathered the puck, faked left then snapped a wrist shot past Peters. GRANT POTULNY gave the Senators a 2-0 lead late in the second period, as he re-directed a SERGE PAYER shot right past Peter's glove to collect his fourth goal of the season. PAYER and MALEC assisted on the marker. Center JOSH HENNESSY added the Senators lead at 7:49 of the last stanza, taking a pass from ARTTU LUTTINEN and snapping a wrist shot into the back of the net.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 31st vs. TORONTO (5:05):

In the one and only meeting so far this season, the Senators tallied three third-period markers on their way to a 4-2 comeback win in Toronto. Rookie ARTTU LUTTINEN netted the game-winner at 11:28 of the final period. ANDREW EBBETT had three points (2+1=3), including an empty-netter in the final minute of the game. DANNY BOIS buried a power-play marker, his tenth of the season. JOSH HENNESSY added two assists, while goalie JEFF GLASS stopped 36 of 38 shots on the night to earn the win.

SENS IN THE COMMUNITY: None scheduled

SENS SNIPPETS: JEFF HEEREMA is tied for the league lead with 131 shots, and is tied for seventh in the AHL with 15 goals. Defenseman TOMAS MALEC had gone 77 games without a goal before scoring in the 6-5 loss to Rochester on Saturday night. MALEC last scored on 12/21/05 vs. Norfolk, just over one year ago. After a slow start, winger CORY PECKER has collected seven points (4+3=7) in the last four games.

SENS LEADERS:

POINTS: HEEREMA (15+16=31), EBBETT (8+19=27), HENNESSY (10+14=24)

GOALS: HEEREMA (16), BOIS & HENNESSY (10)

ASSISTS: EBBETT (19), HEEREMA (16), HENNESSY (14)

PPG: BOIS, HEEREMA, POTULNY &VESCE (4)

SHG: EBBETT & HENNESSY (2)

GWG: HENNESSY (3), HEEREMA (2)

WINS: GUARD (5)

GAA: GUARD 3.68

BSENS ON THE AIR: Catch all the action LIVE on Q107 FM, via webcast or B2 Networks streaming video cast at www.binghamtonsenators.com

GET YOUR TICKETS: Tickets are currently on sale for all regular season home games. Tickets cost $16 for side seating and $15 for end seating. Fans can purchase tickets at the following locations: Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena box office (Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturday, 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.), Binghamton Senators executive office, third floor of the Arena (Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and on game days until the end of the second period.), www.binghamtonsenators.com or by calling (607) 722-SENS.